On July 9, 2019, it was revealed that Beyoncé produced and curated an album titledThe Lion King: The Gift, which features new songs inspired by the film, as well as "Spirit" from thesoundtrack.[11]
Beyoncé called the album "sonic cinema" and said that the film "is a new experience of storytelling", and that the album "is influenced by everything fromR&B,pop,hip-hop,gqom andafrobeats".[11][12] Beyoncé also said that "[she] wanted to put everyone on their own journey to link the storyline" and that the songs were inspired by the remake's storyline, which "gives the listener a chance to imagine their own imagery, while listening to a new contemporary interpretation".[11] The songs were also produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set inAfrica.[11]
The tracklist was revealed through Beyoncé's official website on July 16, 2019.[13]
On September 16, 2019, Beyoncé released a behind-the-scenes TV special, titledBeyoncé Presents: Making the Gift, documenting the album's creation and her journey through Africa, shot inEgypt,Ghana,Nigeria,South Africa, andUnited States.[14] The documentary was aired onABC.[15][16] It was written, directed and produced by Beyoncé alongside co-director Ed Burke, with executive producers Steve Pamon and Erinn Williams.[17]
AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted average score of 77, based on 13 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18]
Writing forAllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung describes the album as "a buoyant hybrid offuturistic, cross-AtlanticAfro-pop", adding that the "expertly curated collection is an artistic showcase celebrating Africa andBlack musical traditions, elevating the movie experience with strategic thematic interludes that could help this album endure far longer than the film."[29]The Lion King: The Gift was chosen asThe New York Times's Critic's Pick, withJon Pareles writing that "Beyoncé flexes both her musicianship and her cultural leverage... It's her latest lesson in commandeering mass-market expectations, as she bendsThe Lion King to her own agenda ofAfrican-diaspora unity, self-worth, parental responsibility and righteous ambition."[12] A.D. Amorosi forVariety praises the album as "a wild, wonderful offering dedicated to sounds and soul of the motherland", calling it an "offering to the idea of bringing connection to those who never realized such was possible, maintaining heritage in the face of aborted and abbreviated histories".[30]
Describing it as an album "that ably displays [Beyoncé's] excellent taste, rather than a great Beyoncé album per se,"Alexis Petridis ofThe Guardian writes thatThe Lion King: The Gift gives "the dominant Afrobeats sound a vast new level of exposure – an impressive feat in itself".[1] "Beyoncé'sLion King album is the event the movie wishes it could be," writesCarl Wilson ofSlate, arguing thatThe Gift "works best if you forget the remake even exists" and encouraging listeners to "take it more as a (mildly) new perspective on Beyoncé" since thematically the album "transliterates the leonine royal-family drama and 'circle of life' worldview of [the movie] into the recent mainleitmotif of Beyoncé's own work."[31] "An ambitious companion album that says more than the movie does about family and tradition and responsibility and Africa", writes Mikael Wood ofLos Angeles Times. "No one takes possession of a cultural space like Beyoncé. We saw it happen in 2016 when she easily outshoneColdplay during its ownSuper Bowlhalftime performance. We saw it happen last year when she remade theworld's most prestigious music festival asBeychella. Now we’re seeing it again withDisney's new version ofThe Lion King".[32]
Michelle Kim forPitchfork opines that the album "succeeds in introducing a whole new musical universe to the average American listener".[33] Writing forThe Telegraph, Neil McCormick says, "The Gift is a quixotic compilation of tracks", calling the album a "tipping point" for African artists worldwide.[34]Bernadette Giacomazzo ofHipHopDX also praised the album, saying that the album "trips the black fantastic" and that many songs were capable of standing independent of the film. Drawing comparisons to theBlack Panther soundtrack "down to theKendrick Lamar appearance," Giacomazzo says that the album is "one of the first Beyoncé albums—such as it were—in which Mrs.Carter's creativity serves as avector to another creative vision, rather than as the creative vision itself. Overall, it works and is another jewel in her crown — one that she, overall, can be proud to call hers".[35]
Vibe includedThe Gift on their list of the 30 bestalbums of 2019,[38] whileThe Fader also included the release on their selections of the best albums of the same year.[39] BothCity Pages andFuse includedThe Gift on their lists of the best albums of 2019,[40][41] whileBrooklyn Vegan listed the soundtrack at number 22 on their ranking of the best rap and R&B albums of the same year.[3] In December 2020,PopMatters namedThe Lion King: The Gift (Deluxe Edition) the 9th best pop album of 2020.[2]
It became Beyoncé's second top 10 debut of 2019 (followingHomecoming: The Live Album) and third top 10 album of 2019 (afterLemonade re-entered theBillboard 200 chart following its wide streaming release). It is also the ninth top 10 album of Beyoncé's solo career.[46]
On theBillboard genre charts,The Lion King: The Gift debuted at number one on several charts includingTop R&B Albums,Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Soundtrack Albums and Top World Albums. It became Beyoncé's seventh number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as a solo artist.[47][48]
Following the release ofBlack Is King in July 2020, the album re-entered theBillboard 200 at number ten.[49]
African musicians and producers who worked onThe Lion King: The Gift, amongst others, have spoken about the impact they predict the album will have onAfrican music in the United States. Ghanaian producerGuiltyBeatz said "Now that Beyoncé released a whole album [of African music], this will open the gateway" for those sounds to enter the American market; Nigerian singerYemi Alade added that the album will be "another awakening".[50] Nigerian producerP2J described how the album is "going to change the face of music", adding that "Brown Skin Girl" is "one of the first songs in my career that I thought was going to be very special... It's a big moment for Africa."[51] South African artistDJ Lag said that the album has "opened doors" for him and that the sound ofThe Lion King: The Gift is "going to be the next big thing."[52]Bloomberg's Anthony Osae-Brown stated that withThe Lion King: The Gift, Beyoncé is taking the "Nigeria music scene global".[53] Director of Urban Music atYouTube Tuma Basa called the release ofThe Lion King: The Gift "a tipping-point moment", while Nigerian producer E-Kelly said that it "is gonna create a new awareness" and "open a big crack" for Afrobeats to enterAmerican mainstream music.[54]
The track "Brown Skin Girl" inspired a viral trend called "#brownskingirlchallenge", whereblack women and girls post pictures and videos of themselves in celebration of their skin,[55][56] as well as people encouraging their young family members to be proud of their skin.[57][58] Celebrities includingAva DuVernay,Barbara Lee,Gabrielle Union andLupita Nyong'o participated in the trend.[59] Several thinkpieces and articles were also produced in response to "Brown Skin Girl".[60][61][62]
On September 15, 2019, it was announced adocumentary chronicling the development, production and filming ofThe Lion King: The Gift, entitledBeyoncé Presents: Making The Gift, would air on ABC September 16.[63] A trailer was released the same day to promote the documentary.[64] Airing nearly two months after the release of the album,Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift was met with a viewership of 2.49 million and "dominated" that night's ratings.[65]
Black Is King, Amusical film andvisual album based on the music ofThe Gift, was released on July 31, 2020, onDisney+. The film – directed, written, and executive produced by Beyoncé – tells the story of a young African prince who is exiled from his kingdom after the death of his father. As he grows up into a man, the prince undergoes a journey of self-identity, using the guidance of his ancestor, childhood love and his own subconscious to reclaim his throne. The prince's journey acts as an allegory for the African diaspora's journey of discovering, reclaiming and celebratingtheir culture and heritage, which is echoed by the inclusion ofspoken-word poetry in the film that focuses on the question of black identity.
Black Is King was in production for over a year and was filmed across three continents. Beyoncé wanted to recruit a diverse cast and crew and to provide opportunities for new talent. The film's music, dances, costumes, hairstyles and sets were designed to showcase the beauty and richness of the cultures in the African continent and diaspora.
The film received universal acclaim from critics, with praise for Beyoncé's direction, the cinematography, score, costume design, subject matter, and cultural themes. At the63rd Annual Grammy Awards,Black Is King was nominated forBest Music Film, while the "Brown Skin Girl" video won the award forBest Music Video.
On July 31, 2020, alongside the release ofBlack Is King, Beyoncé released a deluxe edition of the album. The album includes all the tracks included in the film in addition to three new tracks, excluding the interludes. This includes the standard and extended versions of "Black Parade", which was released on June 19; the extended version of the song was only available onTidal up until the album's release. The other track included is a remix of "Find Your Way Back" byMeLo-X.
"Spirit" features background vocals byLabrinth,Ilya, Jamal Moore, Maurice Smith, J Rome, Derrick Charles, DeP, George Young, Vernon Burris, TJ Wilkins, Andre Washington, Mabvuto Carpenter, Jason Morales, Johnny Gilmore, Stevie Notes, Marcus Eldridge, Edward Lawson, and Steve Epting
"Find Your Way Back" contains elements of "Maradona", written bySarz and performed byNiniola.
"Mood 4 Eva" contains elements of "Diaraby Nene" written and performed byOumou Sangaré; contains an interpolation of "Sweet Green Fields" written byJimmy Seals; contains an interpolation of "(Think) About It" written byJames Brown.
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